The 15 Most Expensive Liquids on Earth, Some of Which We Even Use

Inspiration | Dec. 12, 2017

We all understand "expensive" differently. However, we may not know that there are many amazing things and liquids that cost much more than we can imagine. We’re not talking about gold and diamonds here.

Bright Side made a list of the most expensive liquids in the world. Which one will shock you the most?

15. Liquid paper — $150 per gallon

Liquid Paper is a correction pen that helps you fix written mistakes. Today this item has become quite multifunctional: you can use it to create unique textures, add glitter to it, and use it for handmade projects.

The ingredients (solvent naphtha, mineral spirits, dispersants, and fragrances) that a small bottle contains make it so pricey.

14. Penicillin — $226 per gallon

Penicillin is a large group of antibiotics that include penicillin V, penicillin G, benzathine penicillin, and procaine penicillin. Penicillin is mainly used to treat different infections.

13. Patchouli essential oil — $605 per gallon

This expensive essential oil is produced from the fresh or dried leaves of the plant called Pogostemon.

The oil works as an antiseptic, helping to treat fever, fungal infections, and even kidney stones. The aroma fights bad body odor.

12. Human blood — $1,330 per gallon

A full-grown human body has 1.3 gallons of blood, consisting of plasma and cells. Your body can’t function without blood. Today many people donate blood, however, processing and storing the blood is an expensive process. This explains the price.

11. Gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) — $2,210 per gallon

GHB, also known as 4-hydroxybutanoic acid, is mainly used to treat narcolepsy, insomnia, cataplexy, and alcoholism. It is also a product of wine, citrus fruits, and beef fermentation. The selling of GHB is illegal in many countries.

10. Nail polish — $2,200 per gallon

This is Essie’s price, the brand that produces some of the best chip-resistant and brightest polishes in the world. There are a lot of high-quality brands that claim even higher prices for a nail polish.

9. Black printer ink — $2,380 per gallon

Surprised? So were we! And that’s not even the highest. But you should know that we are talking about inks of high quality from well-known brands. Companies spend great sums of money on the research and development of the best ink quality.

8. Mercury — $2,966 per gallon

Mercury is the only metal that remains liquid at room temperature. It is mainly used in the production of thermometers. However, chemical industries, metal production, and agriculture find it useful too.

7. Insulin — $13,100 per gallon

Insulin is naturally made in your body by the pancreas. It holds up the level of glucose in your blood and enhances metabolic processes. Insulin is an essential medicine for treating diabetes.

6. Chanel No. 5 — $23,300 per gallon

The legendary perfume is known to everyone. It first went on sale in 1922, and Chanel No. 5 still holds a top place in the market. Rare flower petals and the essence of a rare root make Chanel No. 5 so expensive.

5. Horseshoe crab blood — $53,250 per gallon

This crab’s blood doesn’t contain hemoglobin. Instead, they use hemocyanin, which makes it blue. When pathogens or bacteria get in it, the blood clots very quickly. This quality is very valuable in pharmacology for the detection of endotoxins in medical applications. Horseshoe crabs are set free after their blood has been drawn.

The majority of the medications that we use today were tested using horseshoe crabs’ blood.

4. LSD — $109,200 per gallon

This dangerous semi-synthetic psychoactive substance was a very popular hippy drug. Today LSD is banned in almost all countries.

3. King сobra venom — $135,700 per gallon

The king cobra is one of the most dangerous snakes in the world. Just one bite is enough to kill a full-grown elephant. People risk their lives when they collect the cobra’s venom. However, it’s very valuable for the production of medicines that might help cure Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, treat schizophrenia, and fight depression.

2. Scorpion venom — $34,626,000 per gallon

The protein in the venom is used for the treatment of conditions like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

1. The most expensive alcohol in the world — $35,598,000 per bottle

Oh yeah, you saw that right. This is the price of D’Amalfi Limoncello Supreme. The drink is prepared using lemons from the Amalfi hills under traditional Italian recipes. However, that’s not what makes it so pricey. The bottleneck is covered with 3 diamonds weighing 13 karats. A rare diamond weighing 18.5 karats is placed in the middle.

Only 2 bottles of this limoncello were made. Would you pay that kind of money to taste it?